Gas distributor for a powder packaging installation having a reinforcing member and associated installation

ABSTRACT

This gas distributor comprises at least one elongate crosspiece including two side walls, inclined on their upper parts, connected to one another in their respective upper parts and defining a gas circulation housing between them emerging downward. The gas distributor includes at least one reinforcing member arranged in the housing defined in the elongate crosspiece, the reinforcing member including a central vertical plate that extends longitudinally in said housing and at least one bracket fastened transversely between the central vertical plate and the side wall of the elongate crosspiece.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is a U.S. National Stage application under 35 U.S.C.371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2017/068209, filed on Jul.19, 2017, which claims the benefit of and priority to French ApplicationNo. FR 1656915 filed on Jul. 20, 2016. The entire contents of theseapplications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gas distributor for a powderpackaging installation, comprising at least one elongate crosspieceincluding two side walls, inclined on their upper parts, connected toone another in their respective upper edges and defining a gascirculation housing between them emerging downward.

Description of Related Art

Such a gas distributor is intended in particular to equip installationsfor packaging solid particles in bulk or powders. The solid particlesare for example polyethylene or polypropylene granules. The powders arefor example polyethylene or polypropylene powder.

The powder intended to circulate in such an installation retainsmoisture or liquid hydrocarbons and tends to form clumps or even compactblocks, such that the flow of powder does not flow fluidly in theinstallation. Furthermore, the hydrocarbons must be eliminated toguarantee the quality of the end product. To offset this problem, drygas is injected inside the installation to dry the powder and thusfluidify the circulation of the powder in the installation.

EP 0,705,206 describes a powder packaging installation comprising acirculation hopper for the powder. The hopper is equipped in its centralpart with a gas distributor. The gas distributor includes a structuremounted transversely in the hopper and formed by inclined walls topromote the circulation of the powder. The gas is injected into thespace located below the inclined walls and mixes with the powder. Inthis way, the circulation of the gases is not prevented by the powderthat descends into the installation and slides over the inclined walls.

However, such a structure is not always strong enough to bear the weightof the stream of powder, in particular over time.

One aim of the invention is therefore to provide a structure of the gasdistributor that is more robust over time, while guaranteeing a goodcirculation of the gas stream.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To that end, the invention relates to a gas distributor of theaforementioned type, characterized in that the gas distributor includesat least one reinforcing member arranged in the housing defined in theelongate crosspiece, the reinforcing member including a central verticalplate that extends longitudinally in said housing and at least onebracket fastened transversely between the central vertical plate and theside wall of the elongate crosspiece.

The gas distributor according to the invention may comprise one or moreof the following features, considered alone or according to anytechnically possible combination(s):

-   -   the reinforcing member comprises a lower longitudinal plate that        extends horizontally to close the housing downwardly;    -   the lower longitudinal plate has at least one vertical through        hole;    -   two elongate crosspieces arranged crossed, each including a        reinforcing member provided with a central vertical plate and at        least one bracket;    -   three elongate crosspieces arranged crossed, each including a        reinforcing member provided with a central vertical plate and at        least one bracket;    -   the central vertical plate of the reinforcing member has a        horizontal through hole;    -   an upper edge of the central vertical plate is attached at the        coupling between the inclined upper parts of the side walls;    -   a side edge of the bracket is fastened on an inner surface of        the side wall defining the housing;    -   the central vertical plate defines two longitudinal and opposite        compartments in the housing, the reinforcing member including at        least one bracket in each compartment;    -   the reinforcing member includes several brackets distributed in        each compartment;    -   the bracket includes a through passage, the surface area of        which represents at least 15% of the total surface area of the        bracket; and    -   a lower peripheral plate that extends horizontally on the        periphery of a central aperture, the elongate crosspiece        extending through the central aperture.

The invention also relates to a powder conditioning installation,comprising:

-   -   an enclosure having at least one side wall that converges        downward,    -   a gas distributor as defined above, interposed in the enclosure,        and    -   at least one gas intake pipe emerging in the housing of the        elongate crosspiece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood upon reading the followingdescription, provided solely as an example, and in reference to theappended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a packaging installation including a gasdistributor according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along plane II of FIG. 1, of the gasdistributor according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view along plane III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view along plane IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a vertical plate according to oneembodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a vertical half-plate according to oneembodiment;

FIG. 7 is a detailed partial view of the reinforcing member of the gasdistributor of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 2 according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A packaging installation 2, capable of containing powder or particles inbulk, is illustrated in FIG. 1.

The packaging installation 2 includes an enclosure 4, a gas distributor6 interposed in the enclosure 4 and a gas intake pipe 8 emerging in thegas distributor 6.

Hereinafter, the terms “upstream” and “downstream” are to be understoodrelative to the normal flow direction of the powder in the packaginginstallation 2.

The enclosure 4 has a generally cylindrical shape. It comprises an upperwall 10 and a side wall 12 that converge downstream, downwardly.

Advantageously, the upper wall 10 has a curved bottom.

The side wall 12 has an inner surface 14 in contact with the powder,defining a passage volume 26 of the powder.

In the illustrated example, and advantageously, the side wall 12 has anupper vertical part 16, an intermediate vertical part 18 and a lowervertical part 20. It also has an upper converging part 22 placed betweenthe upper vertical part 16 and the intermediate vertical part 18 and alower converging part 24 placed between the intermediate vertical part18 and the lower vertical part 20. The side wall 12 here converges byplateaus.

The expressions “upper”, “intermediate” and “lower” correspond to thepositioning levels relative to the vertical, and in the circulationdirection of the powder in the packaging installation 2.

The enclosure 4 defines a passage 26 and/or storage volume of thepowder.

Advantageously, the enclosure 4 has a diameter greater than 3 meters soas to receive a large quantity of powder in the passage volume 26.

The enclosure 4 has, upstream in the circulation direction of theproduct or the powder, an inlet opening 28 housed in its upper wall 10,by which the powder enters the passage volume 26 of the packaginginstallation 2.

It also has, downstream, an outlet opening 30, by which the powderescapes from the packaging installation 2.

Advantageously, the outlet opening 30 has a smaller diameter, inparticular between 4 times and 20 times smaller relative to the largestdiameter of the enclosure 4.

The gas distributor 6 is arranged in the passage volume 26. It isfastened on the inner surface 14 of the side wall 12 of the enclosure 4,here on the intermediate vertical part 18.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the gas distributor 6 comprises asupport 32 and at least one reinforcing member 34 housed in the support32.

The support 32 comprises a circular peripheral plate 36 defining acentral aperture 38 for the passage of powder, and at least one elongatecrosspiece 40.

The elongate crosspiece 40 extends through the central aperture 38defined by the circular peripheral plate 36, here along a diameter ofthe packaging installation 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the elongate crosspiece 40 includes two sidewalls 42 inclined over their upper parts and connected to one another attheir respective upper edges 44. The side walls 42 thus have across-section in the general shape of an inverted V. In this way, thepowder that flows in the passage volume 26 of the packaging installation2 slides over the inclined upper parts of the side walls 42.

The two side walls 42 define a lower gas circulation housing 46 betweenthem emerging downwardly.

Advantageously and as illustrated in FIG. 2, the support 32 includes afirst elongate crosspiece 40A and a second elongate crosspiece 40B.

The first and second elongate crosspieces 40A, 40B pass through thecentral aperture 38 and are arranged perpendicular to one another.

The circular peripheral plate 36 of the support 32 includes an uppercircular edge 52 fastened on the inner surface 14 of the side wall 12 ofthe enclosure 4.

It is inclined relative to the vertical and converges downward andtoward the longitudinal central axis A-A′ of the enclosure 4. The powderthat flows from the inlet opening 28 toward the outlet opening 30 slidesover the circular peripheral plate 36 during its passage at the gasdistributor 6.

The reinforcing member 34 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. It is arranged inthe housing 46 defined in the elongate crosspiece 40.

According to the invention, it includes a central vertical plate 54, atleast one bracket 56 fastened transversely between the central verticalplate 54 and the side wall 42 of the elongate crosspiece 40, andadvantageously at least one lower longitudinal plate 58 to close thehousing 46 downwardly. The reinforcing member 34 may also include alower peripheral plate 60.

The central vertical plate 54 extends longitudinally in the housing 46defined between the side walls 42 of the elongate crosspiece 40, toreinforce the structure of the support 32.

The central vertical plate 54 has a thickness advantageously of between2 mm and 32 mm.

The central vertical plate 54 defines two opposite and substantiallyequal longitudinal compartments 68 in the housing 46, located on eitherside of the central vertical plate 54.

As illustrated by FIG. 5, the central vertical plate 54 includes, inelevation, a straight upper edge 62, a V-shaped lower edge 64 thatconverges downward, and two symmetrical side edges 66 relative to thevertical axis and provided with a beveled upper part.

Advantageously, the straight upper edge 62 is welded at the couplingbetween the inclined upper parts of the side walls 42 of the elongatecrosspiece 40.

The lower edge 64 extends below the lower part of the gas distributor 6.It forms an angle with the horizontal of between 5° and 22°, for example15°.

Advantageously, the central vertical plate 54 extends over the entirelength of the first elongate crosspiece 40A. In the second elongatecrosspiece 40B, two central vertical half-plates 70, illustrated in FIG.6, each extend over a respective half-length of the second elongatecrosspiece 40B.

The two central vertical half-plates 70 are fastened perpendicularly onthe central part of the central vertical plate 54.

The lower longitudinal plate 58 extends horizontally to close,downwardly, the compartment 68 defined between the side wall 42 of theelongate crosspiece 40 and the central vertical plate 54.

The lower longitudinal plate 58 advantageously has a thickness ofbetween 5 mm and 25 mm.

It extends over the entire length of the elongate crosspiece 40 andupwardly defines a receiving volume 72 for the gases, capable ofreceiving the gases coming from the gas intake pipe 8, with the centralvertical plate 54 and the side wall 42 of the elongate crosspiece 40.

Advantageously, the lower longitudinal plate 58 has at least onevertical through hole 74 for gas distribution. In this way, the gasespresent in the receiving volume 72 escape downward through the verticalthrough hole 74.

The vertical through hole 74 has a diameter advantageously of between25% and 50% of the width of the lower longitudinal plate 58.

Preferably, the lower longitudinal plate 58 is provided with severalvertical through holes 74 distributed over the entire length of thelower longitudinal plate 58, for example at least 20 vertical throughholes 74 per square meter.

In the illustrated example, the lower longitudinal plate 58 includes,for each compartment 68, at least four vertical through holes 74, hereeight vertical through holes 74 distributed uniformly over alongitudinal row. This configuration provides a good distribution of thegases in the packaging installation 2.

The minimum distance between the respective axes of each through hole 74is equal to 1.2 times the diameter of the through hole 74. For example,the distance separating the respective axes of two consecutive throughholes 74 is 1.25 times the diameter of the through hole 74.

The bracket 56 is shown in FIG. 3. It is mounted fixed and is arrangedtransversely between the central vertical plate 54 and the side wall 42of the elongate crosspiece 40.

The bracket 56 has a thickness advantageously of between 5 mm and 25 mm.

The bracket 56 includes an inclined upper portion 76, a verticalintermediate portion 78 and a horizontal lower portion 80. It adapts tothe shape of the housing 46 defined by the elongate crosspiece 40.

The bracket 56 includes a side edge 82 fastened on an inner surface ofthe side wall 42, an opposite side edge 86 fastened on the centralvertical plate 54, and a lower edge 87 fastened on the lowerlongitudinal plate 58.

The bracket 56 includes a through passage 88 opposite the centralvertical plate 54, intended for the circulation of the gas streampassing through the gas distributor 6.

Advantageously, the through passage 88 has a surface area representingat least 15% of the total surface area of the bracket 56.

Preferably, the reinforcing member 34 includes several parallel brackets56 distributed in each compartment 68, over the length of thecompartment 68.

In the illustrated example, each compartment 68 of the elongatecrosspiece 40 includes six brackets 56, distributed over the entirelength of the elongate crosspiece 40.

Preferably, the respective brackets 56 of each compartment 68 arearranged symmetrically across from one another, on either side of thecentral vertical plate 54.

Advantageously, each elongate crosspiece 40 includes a reinforcingmember 34 provided with a central vertical plate 54, several brackets 56and two lower longitudinal plates 58.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the lower peripheral plate 60 extendshorizontally on the periphery of the central aperture 38.

The lower peripheral plate 60 is circular. It is fastened at itsperiphery on the inner surface 14 of the enclosure 4.

The lower peripheral plate 60 has a thickness advantageously of between5 mm and 25 mm.

Advantageously, the lower peripheral plate 60 has at least one verticalthrough hole 90 to promote the distribution and apportionment of the gasdownward.

The vertical through hole 90 advantageously has a diameter of between25% and 50% of the width of the lower peripheral plate 60.

The central vertical plate 54, the lower longitudinal plate 58, thebracket 56 and the lower peripheral plate 60 are preferably made fromsteel, in particular carbon steel or stainless steel.

The gas intake pipe 8 illustrated in FIG. 1 emerges in the housing 46 ofthe elongate crosspiece 40, through one or several orifices arranged inthe side wall 12 of the packaging installation 2.

Advantageously, four orifices are arranged in the side wall 12 of thepackaging installation 2, such that the respective ends of the twoelongate crosspieces 40 are capable of receiving gas through the gasintake pipe 8.

The operation of the packaging installation 2 will now be described.

First, the powder is introduced into the passage volume 26 of thepackaging installation 2, through the inlet opening 28.

The powder next flows to the inclined upper part of the side walls 42 ofthe elongate crosspieces 40. It then flows along the side walls 42.

The gas intake pipe 8 conveys gas from an outside source to the housing46.

The gas then circulates in each compartment 68 defined between thecentral vertical plate 54, the elongate crosspieces 40 and the lowerlongitudinal plate 58, while being distributed in the compartment 68,through the through passage 88 of each of the brackets 56.

The gases then pass through the vertical through holes 74 of the lowerlongitudinal plate 58 and thus penetrate the passage volume 26 of thepackaging installation 2. This makes it possible to reduce thehydrocarbons such that the powder reaches the required quality.

The gases then come into contact with the powder contained in theenclosure 4. Thus, the gases dry the powder such that it flows fluidlyinto the packaging installation 2.

According to one alternative embodiment, the packaging installation 2contains at least two gas distributors 6 located at different heights inthe enclosure 4 of the packaging installation 2.

According to another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 8, the gasdistributor 6 includes three elongate crosspieces 40 arranged crossed.Each elongate crosspiece 40 includes a reinforcing member 34 providedwith a central vertical plate 54 and at least one bracket 56.

Advantageously, each reinforcing member 34 also comprises two lowerlongitudinal plates 58 provided with vertical through holes 74.

According to an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, thecentral vertical plate 54 and the central vertical half-plates 70 haveat least one horizontal through hole 92. In the example of FIG. 6, thecentral vertical plate has two horizontal through holes 92. In this way,the gases present in the receiving volume 72 circulate between the twocompartments 68 of a same elongate crosspiece 40 so as to balance thepressure in the two compartments 68.

According to another embodiment illustrated by FIG. 7, the reinforcingmember 34 includes at least one additional reinforcing plate 94. The oreach additional reinforcing plate 94 is located parallel to the centralvertical plate 54, between the gas distributor 6 and the side wall 12 ofthe packaging installation 2, below the circular peripheral plate 36.

According to one particular embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the lowerperipheral plate 60 includes at least one drainage hole 96 located atleast at one of the ends of the elongate crosspiece 40.

The drainage hole 96 has a diameter advantageously of between 12 mm andthe largest diameter among those of the vertical through holes 74, 90.

In other alternatives, the brackets 56 can be arranged in staggered rowsin the two compartments 68, and/or the number of brackets 56 percompartment can be higher, or the number of vertical 74, 90 andhorizontal 92 through holes present on the lower longitudinal plate 58,the lower peripheral plate 60 and/or the central vertical plate 54 aredifferent from those shown.

The gas distributor described above is very robust so as to withstandthe weight of the powder, while optimizing the circulation of the gasand its homogeneous distribution in the packaging installation.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A gas distributor for a powder packaginginstallation, comprising at least one elongate crosspiece including twoside walls, inclined on their upper parts, connected to one another intheir respective upper edges and defining a gas circulation housingbetween them emerging downward, wherein the gas distributor includes atleast one reinforcing member arranged in the housing defined in theelongate crosspiece, the reinforcing member including a central verticalplate that extends longitudinally in said housing and at least onebracket fastened transversely between the central vertical plate and oneof the side walls of the elongate crosspiece, wherein a side edge of thebracket is fastened on an inner surface of said one of the side wallsdefining the housing.
 2. The gas distributor according to claim 1,wherein the reinforcing member comprises a lower longitudinal plate thatextends horizontally to close the housing downwardly.
 3. The gasdistributor according to claim 2, wherein the lower longitudinal platehas at least one vertical through hole.
 4. The gas distributor accordingto claim 1, comprising two elongate crosspieces arranged crossed, eachincluding a reinforcing member provided with a central vertical plateand at least one bracket.
 5. The gas distributor according to claim 1,comprising three elongate crosspieces arranged crossed, each including areinforcing member provided with a central vertical plate and at leastone bracket.
 6. The gas distributor according to claim 1, wherein thecentral vertical plate of the reinforcing member has a horizontalthrough hole.
 7. The gas distributor according to claim 1, wherein anupper edge of the central vertical plate is attached at a couplingbetween the inclined upper parts of the side walls.
 8. The gasdistributor according to claim 1, wherein the central vertical platedefines two longitudinal and opposite compartments in the housing, thereinforcing member including at least one bracket in each compartment.9. The gas distributor according to claim 8, wherein the reinforcingmember includes several brackets distributed in each compartment. 10.The gas distributor according to claim 1, wherein the bracket includes athrough passage, the surface area of which represents at least 15% ofthe total surface area of the bracket.
 11. The gas distributor accordingto claim 1, comprising a lower peripheral plate that extendshorizontally on the periphery of a central aperture, the elongatecrosspiece extending through the central aperture.
 12. A powderconditioning installation, comprising: an enclosure having at least oneside wall that converges downward, a gas distributor according to claim1, interposed in the enclosure, and at least one gas intake pipeemerging in the housing of the elongate crosspiece.
 13. A gasdistributor for a powder packaging installation, comprising at least oneelongate crosspiece including two side walls, inclined on their upperparts, connected to one another in their respective upper edges anddefining a gas circulation housing between them emerging downward,wherein the gas distributor includes at least one reinforcing memberarranged in the housing defined in the elongate crosspiece, thereinforcing member including a central vertical plate that extendslongitudinally in said housing and at least one bracket fastenedtransversely between the central vertical plate and one of the sidewalls of the elongate crosspiece, wherein an upper edge of the centralvertical plate is attached at a coupling between the inclined upperparts of the two side walls.